U.S. patent number 7,814,325 [Application Number 11/562,264] was granted by the patent office on 2010-10-12 for system, method and computer readable medium for certifying release of electronic information on an internet.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Ricoh Company, Ltd.. Invention is credited to Tatsuya Furukawa, Yoichi Ishikawa, Yoichi Kanai, Tomio Mizuno, Masuyoshi Yachida.
United States Patent |
7,814,325 |
Kanai , et al. |
October 12, 2010 |
System, method and computer readable medium for certifying release
of electronic information on an internet
Abstract
A method of certifying the existence of electronic information
released on a network at a time and date. The network connects one
or more computer servers and a plurality of client computers with
each other. Electronic information of a web page stored in one of
the plurality of client computers is accessed using information of
its location from one of the computer servers based on a request
from one of the client computers. A copy of the electronic
information is then obtained. Attribute information is generated
from the location, access time, and date when the electronic
information is accessed. An electronic certificate may be generated
by uniquely specifying the electronic information and the attribute
information as inherent information identifying the electronic
information. The copy of the electronic information is stored in a
memory by tying up the electronic information with the electronic
certificate and the attribute information. At least the electronic
certificate, the attribute information, and preferably the copy of
the electronic information can also be read and provided from the
memory to the one of the client computers or its operator as a
requester.
Inventors: |
Kanai; Yoichi (Yokohama,
JP), Yachida; Masuyoshi (Yokohama, JP),
Mizuno; Tomio (Yamato, JP), Furukawa; Tatsuya
(Yokohama, JP), Ishikawa; Yoichi (Funabashi,
JP) |
Assignee: |
Ricoh Company, Ltd. (Tokyo,
JP)
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Family
ID: |
26576938 |
Appl.
No.: |
11/562,264 |
Filed: |
November 21, 2006 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20070143620 A1 |
Jun 21, 2007 |
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Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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09725515 |
Nov 30, 2000 |
7143144 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
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Nov 30, 1999 [JP] |
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11-341288 |
Nov 30, 1999 [JP] |
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11-341289 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
713/176;
709/217 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F
21/64 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H04L
9/00 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;713/156,176,170
;707/10,204 ;726/2,9 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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9-185633 |
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Jul 1997 |
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JP |
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11-39395 |
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Feb 1999 |
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JP |
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Other References
nhse.sub.--ac.sub.--legal.sub.--report.sub.--1997.PDF;
www.nhse.org/nhse.sub.--ac.sub.--legal.sub.--report.sub.--1997.pdf.
cited by other .
Performance evaluation of public-key certificate revocation system
with balanced hash tree; Parallel Processing, 1999, Proceedings,
1999 International Workshops on, Sep. 21-24, 1999. cited by other
.
3 ID-based cryptographic schemes using a non-interactive public-key
distribution system Yuh-Min Tseng; Jinn-Ke Jan; IEEE Proceedings.,
14.sup.th Annual, Dec. 7-11, 1998. cited by other .
Privacy Enhancement for Internet Electronic Mail: Part II..--Kent
(1993);
ftp.cert.dfn.de/pub/tools/crypt/secude/Security/pem/rfc1422.ps.
cited by other .
Strongboxes for Electronic Commerce--Hardjono, Seberry (1996);
www.sage.usenix.org/publications/library/proceedings/ec96/full.sub.--pape-
rs/hardjono/hardjono/ps. cited by other .
Authentication of Mobile Users--Refik Molva (1994)
ftp.eurecom.fr/ATM/papers EURECOM/PAPERS/mobusers.ps.gz. cited by
other .
MISPC Minimum Interoperability Specification for PKI..--Burr,
Dodson, Nazario, .. (1997) csrc.ncsl.nist.gov/pki/mispc.ps. cited
by other .
Exploiting Dynamic Aspects of Visual Perception for..--Milanese,
Pun, Gil, Bost (1994)
cui.unige.ch/pub/vision/papers/milanese/94.09.perac94.ps.Z. cited
by other .
The Resurrecting Duckling: Security Issues for Ad-hoc..--Stajano,
Anderson (1999)
www.cl.cam.ac.uk/.about.fms27/duckling/../papers/duckling-attss99.-
ps.gz. cited by other.
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Primary Examiner: Vu; Thong H
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Oblon, Spivak, McClelland, Maier
& Neustadt, L.L.P.
Parent Case Text
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This document is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.
09/725,515 filed on Nov. 30, 2000, and claims priority under 35 USC
.sctn.119 to Japanese Patent Application Nos. 11-341288 and
11-341289 filed on Nov. 30, 1999, the entire contents of each of
which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Claims
What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letter Patent
of the United States is:
1. A method for proving that prescribed electronic information
stored in a computer connected to a network could be accessed and
viewed, said method comprising: first obtaining, at a second
server, a copy of electronic information from a first source server
separate from the second server; generating, at the second server,
attribute information related to a location of the electronic
information based on the copy; obtaining, at the second server, an
electronic certification specifying a time and day when the copy is
obtained; second obtaining, at the second server, the copy of the
electronic information from a different IP address than in the
first obtaining; and providing, by the second server, the
electronic certification together with the copy of the electronic
information and the attribute information upon request.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the prescribed
electronic information stored in the computer is stored in a
database of the computer accessible by the public.
3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the database also
stores abstracts of the electronic information.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first obtaining a
copy of the electronic information includes: displaying one or more
links respectively representing the electronic information; and
allowing access to the electronic information using an applicable
link.
5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: storing
information indicating availability of retrieval for the electronic
information via the network in a memory when the electronic
information can be retrieved.
6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said network includes
an Internet.
7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said electronic
information includes a document described by a markup language
generating a web page.
8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said attribute
information includes at least any one of an electronic information
displaying period of time, the access source IP address, and a
number of access times.
9. The method according to claim 1, wherein for the electronic
information a first hash value is calculated from both of the
electronic information and the attribute information, and a second
hash value is obtained, and the first hash value and the second
hash value are assigned to the electronic certificate as inherent
information for the electronic information.
10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said obtaining the
electronic information is executed either via the Internet or with
a computer readable medium.
11. The method according to claim 1, wherein in the first or second
obtaining, at the second server, of the copy of the electronic
information, the second server periodically accesses the first
server to obtain a copy of the electronic information on each
access, and determines whether contents of the copy of the
electronic information, during a current access, are different from
contents of the copy of the electronic information during a prior
access, and when different the copy of the current electronic
information during the current access is stored with new attribute
information and a new electronic certificate.
12. A system for proving that prescribed electronic information
stored in a computer connected to a network could be accessed and
viewed, said system comprising: a second server configured to:
first obtain a copy of electronic information from a first source
server separate from the second server; generate attribute
information related to a location of the electronic information
based on the copy; obtain an electronic certification specifying a
time and day when the copy is obtained; second obtain the copy of
the electronic information from a different IP address than in the
first obtaining; and provide the electronic certification together
with the copy of the electronic information and the attribute
information upon request.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a certifying system,
method, program, and computer readable medium which certifies the
existence of prescribed electronic information, and in particular
relates to a system, method, program, and a computer readable
medium which is capable of certifying the release of prescribed
electronic information on a network.
2. Discussion of the Background
A method and system for certifying the existence of electronic
information on a specified date are described, for example, in U.S.
Pat. Nos. 5,136,647, 5,136,646, 5,373,561, and 5,781,629, and U.S.
Reissued Pat. No. 34,954.
However, such a technology does not certify the release of
specified electronic information on an Internet or the like.
Further, recently technical information is increasingly being
disclosed on the Internet or the like, which technical information
includes contents similar to those released in a form of a magazine
or a book. Moreover, such communication on the Internet may be more
prompt than a conventional publication. Thus, investigators also
increasingly utilize the Internet or the like to promptly publish
his or her investigation results.
Further, since the transmission of information via the Internet is
easy and not costly when compared with a conventional publication,
a lot of information is being released on the Internet or the like.
Even if the conventional technology can certify the existence of
electronic information, it can not certify the release of
electronic information on the Internet or the like. In such a case,
i.e., if the release of a prescribed fact on an Internet or the
like is not certified, a patent can possibly be obtained by another
person even if its contents are the same as in information released
on the Internet.
In addition, technical information released on the Internet or the
like has substantially the same effect as a publication. As a
result, a clause has been newly established in the Japanese Patent
Law that an invention available to the public through an electronic
communication line before filing cannot be patented. However, it is
difficult to certify a prescribed fact such as when technical
information has been released on the Internet or the like, and
whether the released technical information has been changed. Thus,
there generally is a drawback of less reliability of certifying
such a fact on the Internet than certifying such a fact in a
conventional publication.
On the other hand, a document utilized such as on the Internet is
generally made such as by a hypertext markup language (hereinafter
referred to as an HTML), and generally includes a variety of objets
that occasionally are embedded inline therein. In these objects,
some objects that occasionally require a Plug-in software for
Browser use and/or an accessory application and any of one a static
image, an animation, a sound, and a Java(.TM. of Sun Microsystems
Corporation) Applet may be included. A document generated such as
by the HTML with embedded objects generally constitute, in
combination, electronic information released such as on the
Internet to the public.
Further, a hyperlink occasionally is connected to a document
generated such as by an HTML. An object is occasionally provided
including a document generated such as by an HTM to be referred to
as an external resource. However, the electronic information
released such as on the Internet is generally constructed by
supposing that the electronic information is inspected in an online
manner. Therefore, if the electronic information is locally
preserved (i.e., stored in a storing device of a PC), an objet
either embedded or referred to occasionally is not available from
the electronic information because the hyperlink is disconnected.
As a result, it can not be noted and accordingly not certified
after the end of the release on the network (i.e., Internet) what
electronic information was released on the network.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in view of the above noted and
other problems, and one object of the present invention is to
address and resolve such problems.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel
method of certifying at least the existence of electronic
information released on a network at a prescribed time and date
that connects one or more computer servers and a plurality of
client computers with each other.
The method may include the steps of: accessing electronic
information of a web page stored in a prescribed one of a plurality
of client computers using information of its location from one of
the computer servers based on a request from one of the client
computers; obtaining a copy of the electronic information;
generating attribute information from at least the location, time,
and date when the step of accessing the electronic information is
executed; generating a electronic certificate by uniquely
specifying the electronic information and the attribute
information; obtaining the electronic certificate; storing the copy
of the electronic information in a memory by tying up with the
electronic certificate and the attribute information; and, reading
and providing at least the electronic certificate and the attribute
information, and preferably the copy of the electronic information,
from the memory to the one of the client computers or its
operator.
In another embodiment, the method may further include the steps of:
periodically accessing the electronic information; generating and
obtaining the electronic certificates each time the access is
periodically executed; storing all of the copies of the electronic
information by tying up with a corresponding electronic certificate
and attribute information in a memory; and, providing all of the
electronic information together with the corresponding electronic
certificate and attribute information to the one of client
computers or its operator.
In yet another embodiment, the unique specification for the
electronic certificate is executed by using a hash value calculated
from both of the electronic information and its attribute
information in a prescribed manner, obtaining another hash value
from the former hash vale in a prescribed manner, and after that
assigning the calculation result to the electronic certificate as
an inherent information thereof, so that if the electronic
information or the attribute information is falsified it can be
noted from a change in the hash value of the falsified electronic
information and the attribute information.
In yet another embodiment, the step of accessing the electronic
information may be executed from another computer server to
represent that the electronic information is not limited to a
specific computer server to access.
In yet another embodiment, the step of accessing the electronic
information is executed at an interval to collect all of changes in
a web page.
In yet another embodiment, the method may further include the steps
of: displaying one or more links representing locations of the
electronic information, respectively; and allowing the public to
access the electronic information using an applicable link via one
of the computers so that it is represented that the electronic
information is accessible and employable as evidence.
In yet another embodiment, the method may further include the steps
of: detecting a change in the contents of the electronic
information; and storing the change in the memory in addition to
the electronic information initially stored if the change is
detected.
In yet another embodiment, the method may further include the steps
of: generating a database in one of the computers other than the
one of the computer servers from one or more electronic information
stored in the memory; and allowing public to retrieve the
electronic information via the one of the computers other than the
one of the computer servers so that it is represented that the
electronic information is accessible and employable as
evidence.
In yet another embodiment, the method may further include the steps
of: generating one or more abstracts of the electronic information
stored in the memory; generating a database in one of the computers
other than one of the server computers of the one or more
abstracts; and, allowing the public to retrieve an abstract via the
one of the computers other than one of the server computers.
In yet another embodiment, the method may further include the step
of storing information which indicates the availability of
retrieval of the electronic information via the network, in a
memory when the electronic information can be retrieved via one of
the computers so that it is represented that the electronic
information is accessible and employable as evidence.
In yet another embodiment, the attribute information may further
include at least any one of an electronic information displaying
period of time, the access source IP address, and a number of
access times so that the electronic information can be objective
when used as evidence.
In yet another embodiment, the method may further include the steps
of: detecting if an object is included in the electronic
information when the electronic information is locally preserved in
a one of the client computers; and changing contents of a copy of
the electronic information by describing a reference into the copy
of the electronic information so that the object can be viewed in
the one of the client computers.
In yet another embodiment, the electronic certificate and/or the
electronic information may be provided with a read only medium.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A more complete appreciation of the present invention and many of
the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the
same becomes better understood by reference to the following
detailed description when considered in connection with the
accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a block chart illustrating a perspective view of an
overall system according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a first example of a certifying
operation practiced in a service provider's server in response to a
request for an electronic information recordation;
FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a second example of a certifying
operation practiced in a service provider's server in response to a
request for an electronic information recordation;
FIG. 4 is a chart illustrating one example of a sort of information
to be preserved when prescribed electrical information to be
certified is periodically accessed in the second example as
illustrated in FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a third example of a certifying
operation wherein an electronic certificate, which specifies
prescribed electronic information and attribute information, is
issued to a service requester;
FIG. 6 is a chart illustrating one example of a process for
generating a hash value communicated between the service provider's
server and a time stamp certificate issuing server illustrated in
FIG. 1 when the electrical certificate is to be issued;
FIG. 7 is a chart illustrating one example of contents of an
electronic certificate issued from the time stamp certificate
issuing server illustrated in FIG. 1;
FIG. 8 is a chart illustrating a conventional display screen of a
web page to be inspected online;
FIG. 9 is a chart illustrating a display screen of a web page when
inspected offline;
FIG. 10 is a block chart illustrating a function of a modified
service provider's server 5' that is switched from and utilized in
lieu of the service provider's server 5;
FIG. 11 is a flow chart illustrating a fourth example of a
certifying operation practiced in the modified service provider's
server 5' illustrated in FIG. 10 in response to a request for
electronic information recordation;
FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating details of a copy-obtaining
step practiced in the certifying operation illustrated in FIG. 11
for obtaining a copy including an object;
FIG. 13 is a chart illustrating one example of objectives to be
calculated into a hash value;
FIG. 14 is a chart illustrating another example of objectives to be
calculated into a hash value;
FIG. 15 is a chart illustrating still another example of objectives
to be separately calculated into a plurality of hash values;
and
FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating a certifying operation
practiced in response to a request for recorded contents.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals and
marks designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the
several figures.
Initially, several services provided by the present invention is
now summarily described. A requester may request, as a first type
of service, a service provider for recordation of a prescribed web
page of his or her own world wide web (hereinafter referred to as a
WWW) site that is connected to an Internet, so that both that
existence and the location of the prescribed web page can be known
to the public as a prior-art.
A requester may request, as a second type of service, a service
provider to display link information on a prescribed web page of
the service provider for the same purpose as noted above.
During the first service, the service provider may access and copy
a prescribed web page having a prescribed URL designated by the
requester from a prescribed Internet protocol (hereinafter referred
to as an IP) address, which is assigned to each of personal
computers, at an optional timing. Such a prescribed IP address and
optional timing may be unknown to the requester so that the web
page can be prior art which any third person can access.
Subsequently, the service provider may generate an attribute
information from the prescribed URL of the prescribed web page and
the prescribed IP address as an access source. The service provider
may then obtain a prescribed electronic certificate that uniquely
specifies the copy of the web page and its attribute information
including time and date data.
The service provider may then tie up and preserve the copy of the
web page and its attribute information with the prescribed
electronic certificate.
Further, the service provider may access again the prescribed web
page of the prescribed URL from another IP address at another
optional timing that is also unknown to the requester and copy the
web page. Thus, the service provider can substantially obtain
evidence for certifying that the prescribed WWW server displaying
the prescribed web page does not limit access to the requester.
Subsequently, the service provider generates the attribute
information in the same manner as noted above and obtains a
prescribed electronic certificate which uniquely specifies the copy
of the web page and its attribute information with time and date
data. The service provider may then tie up the copy of the web page
and its attribute information with the electronic certificate, and
then preserve them. The service provider repeats such processes
during a prescribed time period designated by the requester.
Further, when the above-noted second service is requested, the
service provider may display information of a link to the
prescribed URL of the web page designated by the requester on his
or her own web page of a WWW server connected to the Internet to
allow the public access to the prescribed home page using the link
information. For example, a link can be retrieved by the public per
a requester or a field of contents. The link displayed on the WWW
server may also be recorded and preserved along with its displaying
time period or the like.
Thus, the requester can request the service provider for contents
of the recorded web page designated as described in the above
either simultaneously when the above-noted service is requested or
when it is practically needed. In response to this request, the
service provider may provide a copy of the web page, the attribute
information, and the electronic certificate.
After that, the above-described data can be written into a CD-R or
similar memory and then be provided to the requester. The copy of
the web page, the attribute information, and the electronic
certificate can otherwise be provided to the requester via the
Internet.
Further, the second type of service may provide the requester with
the fact that the link to the designated web page is displayed on
the WWW server of the service provider, and the displaying time
period or the like of the designated web page on the WWW server in
a certificate form. The requester can utilize the information
received from the service provider as evidence for certifying that
his or her own web page is open (i.e., accessible to the public) on
the Internet during the certain period of time.
Beside the first and second types of services, a requester can
request a third type of service of recordation of a fact that a
retrieval engine for public use connected to an Internet can
retrieve a prescribed web page designated by the requester. Such a
fact may certify both the existence and the location of the
prescribed web page as is more readily noticeable for the public.
In such a case, the service provider may retrieve the prescribed
web page designated by the requester using an appropriate keyword
or the like through a retrieval engine.
The retrieval engine may optionally be utilized to certify that not
only can the prescribed retrieval engine retrieve the web page, but
also that any kind of retrieval engine can do so. In other words,
to certify that the web page can be accessible and its contents can
publicly be known. When the designated web page can be retrieved,
the fact that the designated web page can be retrieved, an address
and a name of the retrieval engine, the keyword, and the retrieval
time and date or the like may be recorded. These records can be
provided to the requester as a certificate responsive to its
request for recorded contents.
The requester can, of course, request the service provider to
record a web page stored in a WWW server of another person when the
web page is supposed to be a prior art. In such a case, the service
provider may execute the similar operations as described with
reference to the first type of service.
However, there is no guarantee that the web page of the third
person's WWW server is continuously maintained during a certain
period of time that is designated by the requester as web pages
occasionally disappear or are modified. If the web page disappears,
the service provider may record a time period during when the web
page was open on the Internet. In addition, the service provider
may provide the requester with information of the time period in
addition to information ordinarily provided (i.e., the copy of the
web page) in response to a request for recorded contents.
If the web page is modified and the above-described operation is
executed in a similar manner, a modified career may remain. The web
page stored in the WWW server of the other person can be designated
by the requester using a URL of the web page. Otherwise, one or
more web pages can be designated by one or more URLs obtained by
keyword retrieval through a retrieval engine.
Further, a requester can request a service provider for a fourth
type of service of recordation of a transition of a web page
version stored in his or her own or another person's WWW server.
The service provider may then execute substantially the same
operations as described with reference to the first type of
service.
However, the service provider may examine whether contents of the
web page appearing at a current access are different from those of
the web page appearing at a previous access using a prescribed
device. If those are different from one another, the fact that the
current web page is different from the previous one may be
recorded. In this case, the service provider may not be required to
preserve a copy of the web page because the requester preferably
preserves the same at its personal computer.
If the service provider does not preserve the copy of the web page,
objectives to be preserved by the service provider at each access
made in both of the first service and its modified type of services
may be only the attribute information and the electronic
certificate. A change in the version can be recorded as follows.
When both of the current and the previous accesses are made and
both of the contents of the home page are different from each
other, only a change in the version of the web page can be
preserved.
Otherwise, the entire web page fully changed may be preserved only
when a change exists in both of the contents. Further, when
recordation is requested in both of the first service and its
modified type of services, a recording time period, a number of
recording times, a recording frequency, or the like, may be
designated by the requester. The service provider may execute
prescribed recordation in accordance therewith. Further, the second
service to the fourth service type can be optional; in particular,
the services of both of the third and fourth types of requests may
not be required if the existence of the web page and its location
have already been known to the public.
On the other hand, while the service provider continues any one of
such services, the service provider may unavoidably hold a great
number of web pages respectively attaching an electronic
certificate that certifies the fact that an applicable web page is
open on the Internet. Then, that information may be utilized so
that the service provider can perform a prescribed service of
providing any person with a web page attaching an electronic
certificate as a fifth type of service. For example, the service
provider may construct a prescribed database that allows keyword
retrieval or the like via an Internet, and provide a third person
with a prescribed retrieval service.
Specifically, the service provider may provide contents of a record
with a medium such as a CD-R or via the Internet in response to a
request of a retrieval for providing recorded contents retrieved.
As a modification, an abstract of the web page attaching an
electronic certificate may be generated and a database may be
constructed in a prescribed form so that screening of the retrieval
can be performed using the abstract.
A construction of a certifying system utilized in the
above-described services for certifying release of an electronic
information is now described referring to FIG. 1.
A first server 3, a second server 5, a third server 7, a fourth
server 9, a fifth server 11, and a plurality of computers may be
provided to be connected to a network 1 including, for example, an
Internet. The first server 3 may include a WWW server that stores
an electronic information such as a web page 31 whose URL is, for
example, http://www.abcd.co.jp, and which is open on the network
1.
The second server 5 may be supervised by a service provider and may
access electronic information designated by a requester and execute
the following various functions. Namely, the second server 5 may
include a copy obtaining function 51 of accessing electronic
information designated by the requester and obtaining a copy
thereof. The second server 5 may also include an attribute
information generating function 53 of generating attribute
information associated with the location of electronic information
such as a URL and an access condition. The second server 5 may also
include a certificate obtaining function 55 of obtaining an
electronic certificate that uniquely specifies both of a copy of
electronic information and its applicable attribute information
with time and date data.
The second server 5 may also include a preservation function 57 of
preserving prescribed necessary information responsive to a request
from a requester, and a certificate providing function 59 of
providing an electronic certificate or the like to the requester. A
memory 61 described later in detail may be connected to the second
server 5.
The third server 7 may include a time stamp certificate issuing
function 71 of issuing a certificate which uniquely identifies and
certifies prescribed electronic information with time and date data
based on a request from the second server 5. The third server 7 may
receive a certificate issuing request via the network 1 from the
second server 5, issue the electronic certificate using the time
stamp certificate issuing function 71, and then return the same to
the request source (i.e., the second server 5).
The fourth server 9 may include a prescribed function to assist the
second server 5, so that it may display one or more information of
a link 91 to a prescribed web page, for example of a WWW server,
designated by a requester.
However, a database of such information of the link 91 can be
provided to be retrieved per contents or an owner of a linking
destination web page or the like. Further, a database 95 may be
provided using data stored in the memory 61. The fourth server 9
may include a retrieving function 93 of retrieving the database 95
via the network 1. Further, a database 97 may be provided to
include a plurality of abstracts of electronic information
generated from data stored in the memory 61. The retrieval function
93 may retrieve the database 97 via the network 1.
The fifth server 11 may be provided to be used by the public as a
retrieval engine. Since construction of the fifth server 11 may
substantially be the same as that of a conventional retrieval
engine, a thorough description thereof is omitted.
A plurality of services provided responsive to the first type and
its modified services in accordance with the present invention is
now described with reference to an operation of the system
illustrated in FIG. 1.
The requester may designate a prescribed web page having a
prescribed URL, such as http://www.abcd.co.jp, as electronic
information, and request the service provider for the above-noted
first type of service and its modified services.
The service provider may execute prescribed operations using the
second server 5. Specifically, the copy obtaining function 51 may
access the prescribed web page of the URL (i.e.,
http://www.abcd.co.jp) of the first server at an optional timing
via the route A, and obtain a copy of the web page 31 via the route
B shown by a dotted line. The copy may be stored, for example, in a
main memory (not shown) provided in the second server 5. The copy
obtaining function 51 may also store an IP address of an accessing
source (i.e., any one of servers belonging to the service provider)
in the main memory every time an access is made. The copy obtaining
function 51 may include a function of determining a plurality of
address conditions used when an access is made, for example
determining a prescribed access timing among periods of time
designated by a requester and a prescribed IP address of an
accessing source.
When the requester designates a prescribed access frequency, the
copy obtaining function 51 may execute scheduling of an access to
meet the designated access frequency. The attribute information
generating function 53 may generate attribute information including
the URL designated by the requester and the IP address of the
accessing source. The attribute information can include an IP
address assigned to a proxy server (not shown) and an access time
and date when the second server 5 is connected to the network 1 via
the proxy server.
The certificate obtaining function 55 may obtain an electronic
certificate with regard to the copy of the web page obtained and
the attribute information generated. In the system of FIG. 1, the
certificate obtaining function 55 may generate and transmit a
request for issuance of an electronic certificate via the route C
to be received by the time stamp certificate issuing function 71 of
the third server 7. The certificate obtaining function 55 may
receive the electronic certificate from the time stamp certificate
issuing function 71, for example, via the route D. The time stamp
certificate issuing function 71 is described later in further
detail. The preservation function 57 may preserve the copy of the
web page 31, the attribute information, and the electronic
certificate in the memory 61.
However, the preservation of the copy of the web page 31 may be
optional because the requester may preserve the same by himself or
herself. The preservation function 57 may determine that a copy of
a web page currently obtained should not be preserved if the web
page has substantially the same contents with those of a web page
previously obtained.
Moreover, the preservation function 57 may preserve data of the
copy of the web page or the like per a requester and/or a
designated URL so that the certificate providing function 59 will
readily take out necessary data. A requester may request for
recorded contents simultaneously when a recording request is made
or at an optional timing. As a result, the certificate providing
function 59 may read the copy of an objective web page 31, its
attribute information, and the applicable electronic certificate
from the memory 61 responsive to the request. The certificate
providing function 59 may then store those information in a storage
medium 63 such as a CD-R and provide it to the requester.
As one example, the certificate providing function 59 may store, in
the storage medium 63, all of the copy of the web page 31, the
attribute information, and the electronic certificate all obtained
and stored in the memory 61 at every access, and provide the same
to the requester. Otherwise, the certificate providing function 59
may store and provide only the copy of the web page 31 obtained at
a first access, all of attribute information, and all of electronic
certificates, if the web page 31 does not change its contents at
one or more later accesses.
Moreover, the certificate providing function 59 may generate an
access record that includes a URL, an access source IP address, and
a certificate releasing time period and date from the attribute
information and the electronic certificate. Thus, the service
provider may provide a prescribed certificate including the access
record, the web page 31 obtained at a time of the first access, all
of the attribute information, and all of the electronic
certificates.
However, the certificate providing function 59, of course, may not
provide the requester with the copy of the web page 31 if the
preservation function 57 does not preserve the copy of the web page
31.
The above-discussed second type of service provided by the present
invention is now described with reference to the system illustrated
in FIG. 1.
As described earlier, in the second type of service, a requester
requests a service provider to display a link to a prescribed web
page so that the public can have notice of both the existence and
the location of the web page. Responsive to the request, the
service provider may display a link 91 to the prescribed web page
31, which is for example stored in the first server 3, on a web
page of the fourth server 9. If a number of such requests are
relatively small, it is sufficient to display only a URL of the
prescribed web page on the web page of the fourth server 9.
However, if a number of requests are relatively large, a database
of the link 91 may preferably be constructed so that a third person
can retrieve a prescribed link based on contents of a web page or
an industry sort of a requester via the network 1. The service
provider may store a set of time periods during when a link 91 to a
web page 31 has been displayed on the web page of the fourth server
and retrieval has been available, and provide a requester or the
like with such records as a certificate.
The above-discussed third type of service provided by the present
invention is now described in further detail referring to the
system illustrated in FIG. 1.
As noted earlier, recordation of an event that a prescribed web
page designated by a requester may be retrieved using the fifth
server 11 as a retrieval engine for public use via the network 1
may be requested from the requester to the service provider. The
service provider may retrieve the prescribed web page with the
retrieval engine using an appropriate keyword or the like via the
second server 5. If the prescribed designated web page can be
retrieved, the service provider may record that fact, a name and IP
address of the fifth server 11, the keyword, or the like, and the
retrieval time and date, or the like. Upon a request, such a record
may be provided to a requester as a prescribed certificate for
certifying the existence of the web page as a prior art.
The above-discussed fourth type of service provided by the present
invention is now described in further detail with reference to the
system illustrated in FIG. 1.
As noted earlier, a transition of versions of a web page 31 may be
recorded upon request to the service provider. The service provider
may execute operations similar to those executed in the first
service using the second server 5. Specifically, the service
provider may access a web page 31 of the first server 3 at a
specified timing and obtain a copy of the web page 31.
Subsequently, the service provider may generate attribute
information including the URL and the access condition, and obtain
an electronic certificate with regard to the attribute information
and the copy of the web page 31. The service provider may then
preserve at least the attribute information, the electronic
certificate, and preferably the copy of the web page 31 in the
memory 61.
Subsequently, the service provider may again access, by executing
similar operations, the prescribed web page 31, for example of the
first server 3, at a later specified timing, and obtain a new
applicable electronic certificate with regard to new attribute
information and the copy of the web page 31. The service provider
may then determine whether the copy of the web page 31 obtained at
the first access (i.e., the web page 31 whose last change is being
detected) is different in contents from those of the copy obtained
at the current access. This determination may be performed either
by the copy obtaining function 51 or the preservation function 57.
If the contents are different from each other, such a fact may be
recorded in the memory 61 in addition to at least the new attribute
information and the new electronic certificate.
As one example, a difference between the contents of the web page
31 obtained at the first access and those of the web page 31
obtained at the current access can be recorded in the memory.
Otherwise, a copy of the entire changed web page 31 can be
preserved in the memory (if both contents are different from each
other). Upon a request, the service provider may provide such a
record including at least the fact of change, the attribute
information, and the electronic certificate. Only different
portions or entire portions of the copy of the web page 31 may be
provided when the contents are changed.
The above-discussed fifth type of service provided by the present
invention is now described with reference to the system illustrated
in FIG. 1.
A web page providing service for providing a web page and an
electronic certificate may be executed. Specifically, the service
provider may use a retrieving function 93 with the fourth server 9,
and produce a database 95 from a plurality of electronic
certificates stored in the memory 61, a plurality of copies of web
page 31, and a plurality of attribute information. Thus, a third
person can retrieve the database 95 using the retrieving function
93.
When recognizing a prescribed web page 31 to be used as a
prior-art, a third person may send a request to the service
provider for provision of recorded contents via the network 1 or
the like. The service provider may then preferably obtain a copy of
an applicable web page and applicable attribute information and an
electronic certificate.
Subsequently, the service provider may utilize the certificate
providing function 59 so as to store each of the applicable copy of
web page 31, the applicable attribute information, and the
electronic certificate in the CD-R to provide to the requester.
Otherwise, such data can be transmitted via the network 1. As a
modification, the service provider may produce an abstract of the
web page from one or more copies of a web page so as to construct
the database 97 so that a third person can retrieve a prescribed
abstract using the retrieving function 93. The third person may
then confirm a corresponding copy of a web page 31 and request
applicable recorded contents of necessary electronic information
based on a result of screening of the abstract database 97.
A procedure of the first type of service and its modified services
provided by the present invention is now described with reference
to a flowchart of FIG. 2.
When a requester requests the service provider to record prescribed
electronic information such as a web page by designating both of
its location (e.g. URL) and a recording condition such as a
recording time period (in step S1), the copy obtaining function 51
may determine an access condition (in step S3) in accordance with
the recording condition. The copy obtaining function 51 may then
access a prescribed web page of the URL at a prescribed timing from
a prescribed access source IP address, and obtain a copy of the web
page (in step S5).
Further, the attribute information generating function 53 may
generate attribute information from the URL of the web page and the
address source IP address as an address condition (in step S7).
After that, the certificate obtaining function 55 may obtain, from
the time stamp certificate issuing function 71, an electronic
certificate which specifies the attribute information and the copy
of the web page with the certifying time and date (in step S9).
The second server 5 can be configured to include a function of the
time stamp certificate issuing function 71, and the certificate
obtaining function 55 can be replaced with time stamp certificate
issuing function 71. The preservation function 57 may then store at
least the attribute information and the electronic certificate in
the memory 61 (in step S11). That is, as described earlier, the
copy of the web page may optionally be preserved in the memory 61.
These operations may be repeated until a recordation terminating
condition is satisfied (in step S13). The recordation terminating
condition may include several factors such as elapsing of a
prescribed recording time period or reaching a prescribed number of
recording times, which may be designated by the requester.
An operational flow for the fourth type of service is now described
with reference to FIG. 3.
When a requester requests the service provider for recordation of
electronic information such as a web page by designating both of
its location (e.g. a URL) and a recording condition such as a
recording period of time (in step S21), the copy obtaining function
51 may determine an access condition in accordance with the
recording condition (in step S21). The copy obtaining function 51
may then access the web page of the URL at a prescribed timing from
a prescribed access source IP address, and obtain a copy of the web
page (in step S25).
The attribute information generating function 53 may then generate
an attribute information from the URL of the web page and the
access source IP address as an access condition (in step S27).
After that, the certificate obtaining function 55 may obtain, from
the time stamp certificate issuing function 71, an electronic
certificate which specifies the copy of the web page and the
attribute information (in step S29). The preservation function 57
may then examine whether contents of the copy of the web page
previously accessed and obtained are different from those of the
copy of the web page currently accessed (in step S31). Such an
examination may be performed in such a manner that the copy of the
web page whose change is lately detected and stored in the memory
61 is read and compared with the copy of the web page currently
accessed.
When any change is detected (yes in step S31) the copy of the
current web page, applicable new attribute information, and an
applicable electronic certificate may be tied up and collectively
preserved in the memory 61 (in step S33). On the other hand, when a
change is not detected (no in step S31), only the new attribute
information and the new electronic certificate may be preserved in
the memory 61 (in step S35). These operations are repeated until a
recordation terminating condition is satisfied (in step S37). When
the above noted operational flow is completed, prescribed
electronic information may be preserved in various manners and a
transition of the prescribed web page may be certified.
Various manners of preserving the electronic information are now
described with reference to FIG. 4.
During a first access, a copy of the prescribed web page,
applicable attribute information, and applicable electronic
certificate may be collectively preserved because it is considered
that all of the electronic information of the web page is changed.
During a second access, a copy of the prescribed web page currently
obtained may be compared with that of the prescribed web page
preserved at the first access. Only an updated electronic
certificate and updated attribute information may collectively be
preserved if no change exists between the previous and current
copies of the web pages.
Moreover, during a third access, a copy of the prescribed web page
currently obtained may be compared with that of the prescribed web
page preserved at the first access. Only an updated electronic
certificate and updated attribute information may be preserved if
no change exists between the previous and current copies of the
prescribed web pages.
During a fourth access, a copy of the prescribed web page currently
obtained may be compared with that of the prescribed web page
preserved at the first access. The copy of the web page currently
obtained, updated attribute information, and an updated electronic
certificate may collectively be preserved if a change exists
between the previous and current copies of the prescribed web
pages. Similar operations may be continuously performed at a
prescribed frequency designated by the requester. A comparing
objective may be a copy of a prescribed web page whose last change
is detected and preserved as mentioned earlier.
A modified operation performed by the second server 5 in response
to a request from a requester for recorded electronic information
is now described with reference to an operational flow illustrated
in FIG. 5.
Since electronic information (i.e., a web page) is included in a
request from a requester as an objective, the certificate providing
function 59 may first specify the prescribed electronic information
(in step S43), and read a copy of the objective electronic
information, applicable attribute information, and an applicable
electronic certificate from the memory 61 (in step S45). Only one
set of data may generally be read when the request designates only
one time recordation of the electronic information or an objective
electronic information results in deletion after the first
access.
However, since a plurality of the electronic information are
generally recorded, a plurality of sets of copies of the electronic
information, applicable attribute information, and applicable
electronic certificates may generally be read. In such a case, the
certificate providing function 59 may time an electronic
information-releasing period of time (in step S47). The electronic
information-releasing period of time may be recognized if a pair of
the electronic certificates respectively including the certifying
time and date are obtained respectively at a first access and a
last access and each certifying time and date is compared with the
other. To this end, such information may be regarded as the
electronic information-releasing period of time. However, such a
function may be optional.
The certificate providing function 59 may finally store, for
example into the CD-R, the copy of the objective electronic
information, applicable attribute information, and an applicable
electronic certification beside the electronic
information-releasing period of time (in step S49).
One example of generating the electronic certificate is now
described in detail referring to FIG. 6.
The electronic certificate can be issued in any manner in the
present invention as long as the electronic certificate uniquely
specifies an electronic information and its attribute information.
Thus, the following is one example among various systems to issue
the electronic certificate. When electronic information 101 is an
objective of an electronic certificate, a hash value 103 of the
electronic information 101 may be calculated. Such a hash value and
calculation manner are described in detail in the U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 441,056/99 filed by the same applicant, the
entire contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by
reference. However, any hash function is suitable as long as it
includes one way function in the present invention.
The certificate obtaining function 55 may calculate the hash value
103 at least of both of the copied electronic information and its
attribute information. The certificate obtaining function 55 may
transmit a request with the hash value 103 to the time stamp
certificate issuing function 71 for issuance of an electronic
certificate. The time stamp certificate issuing function 71 may
receive and process the hash value 103 (indicated by a grid area)
in a prescribed manner together with another hash value sent from
the same or a different computer server (indicated by blanks of the
right side of the hash value 103). The another hash value may
separately be calculated and transmitted to the certificate
obtaining function 55 in the same manner as the hash value 103. The
time stamp certificate issuing function 71 may repeat generating a
new hash value from two hash values in a tournament system, for
example, so that only one hash value 106 may finally be obtained as
illustrated in FIG. 6.
A super hash value (hereinafter referred to as a SHV) 107 may then
be generated at a time (T) from the hash value 106 and a SHV 105
(i.e., last super hash value) at a time (T-1), wherein (T) is an
integer. The SHV 107, the hash value 103, time information, and a
document ID of the electronic information (e.g. a file name) may be
included in the electronic certificate 109.
Thereby, the electronic certificate 109 can uniquely specify the
electronic information 101 (i.e., a web page) and/or the attribute
information using the combination of the SHV 107 and the hash value
103. The electronic certificate 109 may then be returned to a
sender of the hash value 103 (i.e., the certificate obtaining
function 55). As a result, the electronic information 101 and the
applicable access time and date may uniquely be specified and tied
up with the electronic certificate 109. The hash value 103 itself
or in combination with the SHV 107 may constitute an inherent
information related to the combination of the electronic
information and the attribute information.
Specifically, if any one of the electronic information and the
attribute information is falsified after the certification by the
time stamp function, the hash value varies after the falsification.
Thus, if the hash value in the attribute information included in
the electronic certificate is not changed, the corresponding
electronic information, for example, included in the CD-R can be
regarded as accessed at the time and date also included in the
CD-R. Thus, in such a case, the CD-R can be prescribed evidence
such as in a patent related field.
Further, if a web page is the electronic information as illustrated
in FIG. 6, an HTML 110 document may correspond to the electronic
information. Thus, as understood from FIG. 7, a hash value may be
calculated from all of attribute information including a URL and an
access source IP address or the like, and the HTML document 110,
and an applicable electronic certificate may be generated from the
hash value. If prescribed a web page is only composed of a
composition, such calculations are sufficient.
However, since an image file 112 such as a GIF file may be embedded
in the web page, and an image file may also be included in
information released on the network, a hash value may be calculated
from all of the image file, the HTML document, and applicable
attribute information.
Moreover, the image file in the HTML document is not limited to a
static image and may include an active image, a sound, a file
having a format requiring Plug-in software of a browser, and
JAVA(.TM. of Sun Microsystems) Applet. Thus, if these objects are
embedded, these objets may also be copied at an access designating
a prescribed URL, and the above described hash value calculation
may be executed. Such a hash value can be calculated per one file
or once for all of the files.
Thus, release of electronic information on the network can be
certified by the first type of service and its modified services.
Further, public notification with respect to the existence and the
location of prescribed electronic information can be certified by
the first and second types of services.
Further, a transition of an electronic information can be
recognized by the fourth type of service.
Further, a service provider can efficiently utilize electronic
information together with an electronic certificate, and a
requester can prompt the public to use prescribed electronic
information. In addition, a third person can obtain enforceable
electronic information.
Further, using such a system in a patent related field, electronic
information, applicable attribute information, and an applicable
electronic certificate can be utilized as evidence to be submitted
to an examiner when filing an opposition or a patent invalidating
procedure.
Further, someone's own web page or the like can be utilized as a
technical report publication.
Further, an applicable electronic certificate can be utilized in a
prescribed condition as evidence to be submitted to an examiner
when application of a prescribed patent act, with rules of an
exception of lack of novelty, is requested.
Even though five or more functions of the second server 5 are
included in a single unit as noted from FIG. 1, these functions can
separately be included in respective of a plurality of servers.
Similarly, even though the fourth server 9 displays one or more
links to prescribed web pages and retrieves a prescribed web page,
these functions can separately be performed by respective of a
plurality of servers. The retrieval engine 1 may not be limited to
one.
Further, the URL may not be limited to the "http", and a "ftp" can
be utilized. The function of the third server 7 can also be
included in the second server 5. Each of the service providers
performing services with respect to the third server 7 and the
second server 5 can be either the same or different providers.
The network 1 may not be limited to the Internet and may include
other networks which allow non-exclusive access.
Moreover, even though the CD-R 63 is utilized as a medium storing
the recorded electronic information to be provided to a requester,
a CD-ROM, DVD, etc. can be employed. A separating manner which
separates a plurality of functions as illustrated in FIG. 1 is just
one example, and even one function can be divided into a plurality
of function segments. To the contrary, a plurality of functions can
also be united into one.
A system can be structured by combining one or more programs with a
plurality of computers realizing functions as illustrated in FIG.
1. Otherwise, the system can be either partially or entirely
realized using a private use electronic circuit or the like.
Another embodiment of the present invention is now described with
reference to FIGS. 8 through 16.
When a web page is the electronic information 101 as illustrated in
FIG. 6, a hypertext markup language (hereinafter referred to as an
HTML) document corresponds to the electronic information. No
problem occurs if contents of the web page include only composition
data.
However, image files such as GIF files are often embedded in web
pages. For example, and as illustrated in FIG. 8, when a web page
31 of the first server 3 is inspected using a browser of a client
computer (not shown) coupled to the network 1, it may be displayed
looking like a web page 200 which includes a plurality of
prescribed objects 201 and 202 such as a static image embedded
inline. Such an object embedded in the web page 200 may include in
addition to a static image, an animation, a sound, a file having a
format requiring a Plug-in software or the like of the browser, a
Java(.TM. of Sum Microsystems Corporation) Applet, etc., as
described in the first embodiment, and generally be included in
information released on the network 1.
Further, a plurality of links 205 through 209 linking to another
web page or another object may be included in the web page 200 as
an external resource as illustrated in FIG. 8. Contents of the
linking destination web page or object can not be released on a web
page of a prescribed URL, generally.
However, a user of the network 1 can readily obtain electronic
information of the linking destination, and accordingly, that
information is available to the public. Moreover, the web pages or
objects of the destinations of the plurality of the links 205
through 209 respectively includes a prescribed relationship with
the web page 200. Thus, a person who generates an HTML document of
the web page 200 may occasionally intend integrally to disclose
information of the web page 200 and the linking destination web
page or object. Then, a problem occurs whether such a linking
destination web page or an object is to be included in an objective
of the electronic certificate.
In addition, when the HTML document and the plurality of the
objects 201 and 203 as illustrated in FIG. 8 are locally preserved
(i.e., stored in a personal computer), for example, in the second
server 5, as respective files, and the HTML document is inspected
using the browser, only a plurality of frames 201a and 203b of the
objects 201 and 203 are displayed in the web page 200a as
illustrated in FIG. 9. In a particular case, prescribed marks 201b
and 203b respectively representing failure to read may be displayed
in the respective frames. Moreover, when the plurality of links 205
through 209 is selected using a pointer, none of the linking
destination web pages or objects can be inspected. This is because
the following description is included in the HTML document of the
web page 200 as one example.
The below-described first list illustrates a case in which a
prescribed object is embedded inline. The below-described second
list illustrates a case in which a prescribed external resource is
utilized through a link.
TABLE-US-00001 [First List] <IMG SRC ="/image/image01.gif">
<OBJECT DATA ="/video/video. avi" TYPE "= video/avi">
</OBJECT> <APPLET CODE ="/applet/animator. Class"
WIDTH=100 HEIGHT=100> </APPLET> [Second List] <A
HREF="/image/image02.gif" > 1. IMAGE </A> <A HREF="
http://xyz.co.jp/home.html"> 2. web page </A>
The first line of the first list represents that a directory named
"image" exists below a directory where an HTML document of the web
page 200 exists, and a GIF file "image01.gif" is displayed. Thus,
when the HTML document is locally preserved in the second server 5
it is, of course, not guaranteed that the directory named "image"
exists below the directory preserving the HTML document nor that
"image01.gif" is preserved in it.
Further, the second line of the first list represents that a
directory named "video" exists below a directory where an HTML
document of the web page 200 exists, and an animation file named
"video/avi" is displayed in a MIME form. Thus, when the HTML
document is locally preserved in the second server 5 it is, of
course, not guaranteed that the directory named "video" exists
below the directory preserving an HTML document nor that "video
avi" is preserved in it.
Further, the third line of the first list represents that a
directory named "Applet" exists below a directory where an HTML
document of the web page 200 exists, and Java applet
"animator.class" is practiced. Moreover, it represents that a
prescribed display is displayed within a frame of 100.times.100.
Thus, similarly to the above, if the HTML document is locally
preserved in the second server 5, it is not guaranteed that the
directory named "applet" exists below the directory preserving the
HTML document nor that the "applet.class" is preserved in it.
Further, the first line of the second list represents that a
directory named "image" exists below a directory where an HTML
document of a web page 200 exists, and a link affixed to a GIF file
"image02.gif" is displayed. Since only the link is displayed and
contents of the applicable file are not displayed when the HTML
document is displayed, the contents of the file are not
automatically transmitted via the network 1. Thus, when the HTML
document is preserved in the second server 5, it is guaranteed that
not only the directory named "image" exists below the directory
preserving the HTML document, but also that the "image02.gif" is
preserved in it.
Further, the second line of the second list represents that a link
is displayed on a web page having an URL of
"http://www.xyz.co.jp/home.html", not on the URL of the server that
preserves the HTML document of the web page 200. As a result, since
the link is only displayed and contents of the applicable file are
not displayed when the HTML document is displayed, the contents of
the file are not automatically transmitted via the network.
Moreover, if the HTML document is preserved in the second server 5,
the preservation destination can not be
"http://www.xyz.co.jp/home.html". Thus, if an HTML document of a
web page 200 is locally preserved, and contents of its file are to
be confirmed using the browser or the like, an object embedded
inline and contents of the linking destination can not be
inspected.
As a result, contents released on the network 1 will not entirely
be recognized later, even if the HTML document is preserved. To
this end, the second embodiment may preserve one of copies of the
HTML document of the web page 200 as an original as it is, and the
other copy whose contents are changed in a prescribed manner so
that the entire web page will be recognized when inspected.
Specifically, the HTML document of the web page may be changed in
the following manner in cases corresponding to the first and second
lists.
TABLE-US-00002 [Third List] <IMG SRC =" image 01.gif">
<OBJECT DATA =" Video. avi" TYPE =" video/avi">
</OBJECT> <APPLET CODE ="animator. class" WIDTH = 100
HEIGHT = 100> </APPLET> [Fourth List] <A HREF
="/reference/image 02.gif"> 1. Image </A> <A HREF
="/reference/home. Html"> 2. Web page </A>
The third list may represent that an object embedded inline is
preserved in a same directory with the HTML document that is
changed in the prescribed manner. This is because it is simpler in
a supervising point of view to preserve attribute information, an
electronic certificate, and an HTML document or its version of the
web page 200 all obtained or generated during an access in the same
directory with the object.
That is, however, just one example, and another rule can be adopted
when data is stored in the memory 61, for example, in a manner such
that a plurality of directories are separately assigned and
respectively store objects embedded inline. The fourth list may
represent that an object referred to as an external resource or an
HTML document of another Web page may be preserved in a directory
named "reference" existing below a directory that preserves a HTML
document, for example, which has changed. Namely, a separate
directory may preferably be assigned to store the object or the
changed HTML document because the object or changed HTML document
is sometimes not required.
That is, however, just one example, and another rule can be adopted
when data is stored in the memory 61. For example, the object or
the HTML document can be preserved in the same directory with an
original or changed version of the HTML documents. In any case,
either a web page includes the inline object or the web page
includes an object and/or another web page of the external
resource, all of the HTML document, and each of the objects may be
preserved as it is as an original file.
In addition, the HTML document is changed and preserved for
inspecting use as another file. An applicable electronic
certificate may then be obtained with regard to these files and the
attribute information. Thus, a construction of the second server 5
illustrated in FIG. 1 may be changed to that of a second server 5'
as illustrated in FIG. 10. Namely, the copy obtaining function 151
may obtain, beside designated electronic information, an object
embedded inline, and an object and/or another electronic
information all referred to as an external resource.
The copy changing function 153 may then change, as described above,
the object, and a reading source of another electronic information.
The attribute information generating function 155 may then generate
attribute information associated with the object and that
electronic information. In such a case, its reference destination
of the reading source may sometimes be included in the attribute
information, if a copy of the electronic information or the object
of the reference destination has already been obtained.
In addition, prescribed information representing that whatever copy
of a file is an objective of an electronic certificate may
occasionally be included in the attribute information. The
certificate obtaining function 157 may then obtain an electronic
certificate with regard to the certificate-issuing objective from
the time stamp certificate issuing function 71. The preservation
function 159 may then store a file of the certificate-issuing
objective in a prescribed position in the memory 61'. Thus, the
memory 61' may store the copy of the electronic information, its
version, an applicable electronic certificate, and applicable
object, for example, embedded. The certificate providing function
161 may then read a prescribed information stored in the memory 61'
in response to a request for prescribed recorded contents, and
generate the CD-R 63'. Since the copy of the version of the
electronic information and the object are included in the CD-R63',
a certifying objective-electronic information can be reproduced in
the same condition as released online.
Further, it is optional whether a copy of an electronic information
before change may be preserved and whether that of the electronic
information before change is provided, in response to a request for
recorded contents.
An operational procedure executed in response to a recording
request is now described referring to FIG. 11.
When a requester sends a request to a service provider for
recordation of prescribed electronic information (e.g. a web page)
while designating both its location (e.g. an URL) and a prescribed
recording condition (e.g. a recording period of time) (in step
S61), the copy obtaining function 151 may determine an accessing
condition so as to accord with the recording condition (in step
S63). The copy obtaining function 151 may then accesses the URL
from a prescribed access source IP address at a prescribed timing
and obtain a copy of the web page (in step S65). The recording
request may occasionally include a designation of copies of web
pages on different layers and linked with each other, and the copy
obtaining function 151 may copy link destination web pages.
Subsequently, the copy changing function 153 may determine if the
web page copy includes the objects or the like (in step S67). If
the copied web page includes any one of them (yes in step S67), the
copy changing function 153 may change the contents of the HTML
document of the web page as illustrated in the fourth list (e.g. by
assigning "/reference/") (in step S69) so that an object embedded
inline in the copy of the web page, which will locally be
preserved, can be displayed.
On the other hand, when the web page includes none of linking web
pages and objects (no in step S67), the system progresses to step
S71. Then, the attribute information generating function 155 may
generate attribute information including both of a web page URL and
an accessing source IP address as an accessing condition (in step
S71).
Subsequently, the certificate obtaining function 157 may obtain the
following electronic certificates from the time stamp certificate
issuing function 71 (in step S73). The electronic certificates may
include a certificate certifying the existence of the web page, the
attribute information, the inline object or the version of the HTML
document if any link exists, the HTML document, and the object
referred to as the external resource. The preservation function 159
may then store all of information uniquely specified and certified
by the electronic certificate with the time and date in the memory
61' (in step S75). The copy of the HTML document of the web page
may optionally be preserved in the memory 61'.
These operations are repeated until the recordation terminating
condition is satisfied (in step S77). The recordation terminating
condition may be a condition when a recording time period
designated by a requester has elapsed and when a number of
recording times designated by a requester reach a prescribed level
or the like.
The copy obtaining operation described with reference to FIG. 11 is
now described with reference to FIG. 12 in further detail.
A copy of an HTML document of a prescribed web page as an access
destination designated by a requester may be obtained (in step
S93). The copy of the HTML document may then be analyzed and
examined if an object embedded inline is included (in step S95). If
the object is included, a copy of the object may also be obtained
(in step S97). If the object is not included, the process goes to
step S99.
Subsequently, it is determined if a link either with another web
page or with another object exists (in step S99). If any one of
them exists (yes in step S99), a copy of the HTML document of
another web page as a linking destination or another object may be
obtained (in step S101). If none exists (no in step S99), the
process is terminated. As noted from FIG. 12, a web page and/or an
object existing below a web page of access destination by one layer
may be a copy objective range. Thus, if a web page and/or an object
existing below the web page of the initial access destination by
two or more layers are to be copied, an operation illustrated in
FIG. 12 may be practiced while regarding such below web pages as
the access destination in step S93. In such a case, if one or more
linking destinations existing below a prescribed layer among these
layers are not copying objective, the process may preferably be
terminated without practicing steps S99 and S101. Thus, an
electronic certificate may be obtained with regard to the
information obtained and/or generated.
Further, if an electronic certificate described with reference to
FIG. 7 is obtained, a hash value may be calculated by the following
manners.
If an object is embedded inline and an external resource is not
referred to as illustrated in FIG. 13, totally one hash value can
be generated with regard to all of the files of an HTML document of
an access destination web page, one or more objects, preferably two
objects, applicable attribute information, and a version of the
HTML document. Thus, one electronic certificate may be
obtained.
If an object is embedded inline and an external resource is
referred to as noted from FIG. 14, totally one hash value can also
be generated with regard to all of the files of the HTML document,
the object, the applicable attribute information, the version of
the HTML document, and the reference destination HTML document or
the object. Thus, one electronic certificate can be obtained.
Further, if an object is embedded inline and an external resource
is referred to as illustrated in FIG. 15, a first hash value 1 can
be generated with regard to all of the files of the HTML document,
the object, the applicable attribute information, and the version
of the HTML document. A second hash value 2 can be generated with
regard to a file of a reference destination HTML document (or a
file of an object) and its applicable attribute information. In
such a case, since an electronic certificate with regard to the
HTML document of the reference destination web page is
independently issued, release of the web page on the network can be
separately certified.
Further, only one of the object embedded inline and the web page or
the object referred to can be obtained depending on a designation
of the requester. Further, a layer below the initially referred web
page can also be referred to as the external resource. However, it
can also be handled in accordance with a designation of the
requester.
If the requester issues none of designations, a prescribed rule can
automatically be adopted in such a manner that a first layer below
the first layer by one can in principle be obtained. Further, when
an object is embedded inline in a reference destination web page,
the object can be regarded and handled as is included in the
reference destination web page.
One example of a certificate providing operation performed
responsive to a request for recorded contents is now described with
reference to FIG. 16.
The certificate providing function 161 may identify a certifying
objective electronic information from a request for recorded
contents (in step S81). Subsequently, the certificate providing
function 161 may read from the memory 61' a copy of objective
electronic information, an applicable electronic certificate,
attribute information, an object embedded inline, a reference
destination object or an electronic information, and a copy of a
version of the objective electronic information.
After that, that information may be provided with the CD-R 63 or
the like (in step S85). When a request for recorded contents is
made as described earlier with reference to the fifth type service,
substantially the same operation as illustrated in FIG. 16 may be
practiced.
Obviously, numerous additional modifications and variations of the
present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It
is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended
claims, the present invention may be practiced otherwise than as
specifically described herein.
* * * * *
References